A Conspiracy Theory
by Maleficent o' Chimera Lair
Summary: Myles finds an old friend to enlist her help when strife comes to tortall. Sorry, this is the second time i have posted this due to some errors on my computer
1. The Meeting

*A Conspiracy Theory*  
  
Disclaimer: I do not own any of the characters in this story (except for Eleke, who I created), but belong to the Almighty Tamora Pierce!  
  
A/N: This is my fist fic, but I hope you like it! Any reviews would be welcome, be they flames or praise! This is set in between the time of the immortals and through the POTS.  
  
  
  
Sweep. Sweep. The rusty sound of the broom scraping on the floor, sending little clouds of dust into the air, resounded throughout the room, filling the otherwise silent room with noise, reverberating off the walls. No noise filtered off the street into the modest house, it was virtually soundproof.  
The woman who was directing the force of the broom in her hands ceased her work and put the broom in the closet and ambled slowly over to the nearest chair. She was weary with her work, but when she sweeped, it was her time to contemplate ideas and thoughts deeply without distraction.  
The woman in question was of middle-age, although not many creases lined her face. Muddy brown-blond hair confined in a strict no-nonsense bun, a narrow nose and a delicate shaped mouth graced chestnut coloured eyes framed with long lashes. With this non-descript complexion, she could slip by without anyone taking notice, which suited her just fine.  
She sighed. He was late! Where could he possibly be? She was about to start humming her favourite tune when she discovered her throat was parched. Suddenly, two knocks came from her door, just as she was about to fetch herself a drink. A third knock, just for good measure.  
"I'm comin'."  
Sauntering over to the door, she glanced through the peephole of the door. Her eyes caught sight of a stout man of short stature, in clothes of fine quality but rumpled with food spots. She recognized him, so inched the door open slowly enough to catch a look of the outside world beyond the courtyard, to find it bustling with energy.  
"Won't you hurry?" she said, prompting the man to hastily enter the door, as his attention had wondered in the waiting of the door to open. The woman closed the door, reassured by the firm click of the latch. You never knew who might want to overhear a conversation, some people just took to much interest in other peoples business!  
"Myles, you certainly took your time!"   
" I'm sorry, Eleke, but I was distracted to a certain extent you know how it is, messages being passed on and such" Myles said.  
She knew he was hiding something, but he didn't seem to be in any hurry to divulge it. although he was flustered to be questioned so directly, catching himself of guard. She waited without comment to hear what he had to say.  
"Listen, we have a situation on our hands about the Royal family from my various sources and from the king himself."  
"And what has this got to do with me?" Eleke demanded.  
"Well, with the kings permission and knowledge, I have planed to put someone undercover to further discover the source of strife. You are the person I plan to get in."  
"Hey, hey, hey! Slow down! Firstly, what is it that you call "strife"? Secondly, I think you neglected to mention exactly why there is a need to have a listener in the Palace and why me? You know that I don't do that sort of stuff anymore " She was annoyed that he had come all the way from Corus to bother her about something she didn't want to know about!  
With that he laughed. "Eleke, I saw how you furtively glanced about around the door when letting me in you still have it in you, old habits die hard! And you know that you're the best person I have, even if you have "retired". You're very pores emit an espionage atmosphere where you are otherwise not occupied in those conditions! As to the situation There have been some rumors, which aren't public, about plans of abduction of the younger princes and princesses we want you to go about in a discreet way to find out all you can. Listen, I didn't want to disturb your peace but as I said you're the best"  
"Ok, ok! You have me convinced we now will arrange the matter of finance   
It's very dear to my heart my service won't come for free "  
Myles of Olau sighed dejectedly, he might of won the fight, but not the war! He knew that if she had the chance, she would put her paws on his finance and sap it dry! Well, at least she had agreed.  
"Oh, one thing Eleke you will be a maid when you get there so don't arrive in two much decadence."  
"What!"  
  
  
Eleke to a backward glance at the receding view of her village. It was true that she had been staring to feel a bit fidgety in the past few months with nothing to do but she was in no hurry to leave.  
She closed her eyes, took a deep breath, and listened to her surroundings: the steady plod of her mares' hooves, and the jingle of the bridle.  
"It's going to be a long journey" This was not the ride she was thinking about, but what she was going to face all too soon.  
  
  
  
  
A/N: PHEW!!! Well, how was that? Oh for anyone who seemed to notice little grammar things you may not recognize such as "color' with a u (colour) etc, that's how we spell it in Australia! I hope you enjoyed this, and R/R! I will write more, just as soon as my brain can compute things again!  
*A Conspiracy Theory*  
  
  



	2. Back to Corus- and to Memories.

*A Conspiracy theory*  
  
Disclaimer: Any characters that you may recognize belong to Tamora Pierce. I only own the following characters: Eleke, Aidan of Clearcreek  
  
A/N: You may notice that the prologue or "the meeting" was in the Third Person, but now I am writing in Eleke's point of view. Sorry to all those people who saw the previous version of Chapter one, my computer was having some problems, but they are all fixed now. So on with the show!( And elle, The Horse stands for Hakuin Seastone)  
  
  
  
A jerking movement awakened me from my sloping position upon my mares' neck, and it took a couple of seconds to recollect my wits, before observing my surroundings. The first thing I noticed was that the ground upon which my mare placed her hooves had changed from dirt to cobble, as evident from the rather loud clip clopping sound created.  
While wondering exactly why I was on my mount and not in my nice, snug bed confused me momentarily before I remembered the events of yesterday afternoon, I was interrupted from my thoughts by another ruff shove. This time I turned halfway around in my saddle to have my eyes lock with those of a man who had hair flopping around his forehead with an unshaven face, and his two companions, one an old lady and the other with gold skin and ink black hair, whom I recognized to be a Yamani.  
"Hey! What was that for?!?"  
"Excuse me, Ma'am, might you be Eleke Dekahfi?" the first one said. She caught no trace of apology in his voice.  
"I might be, according to whom?"  
This time he had the grace to look ashamed. "We have been sent to accompany you into Corus, by Sir Myles."  
"How do I know that you come from him?" I asked suspiciously, now fully awake.  
"Ms Dekahfi, may intervene? My name is Hakuin Seastone, and this lady is Eda Bell. And..." glaring at the young man, "the boy is Sir Aidan of Clearcreek." He paused, "and I have a message from Sir Myles..." He stopped when I snatched the Piece of paper out of hands.  
  
Dear Eleke,  
Must you always be suspicious? I snorted.  
Anyway, I have an audience with the king so we can debrief you, and these people I have sent to escort you to the Palace.  
Myles.  
  
"Humph," I breathed in deeply. "Sorry about my manner, I am not a morning person."  
"Neither am I," The woman called Eda flashed her teeth in a grin. "So...are you really Elektra of the Harvest Moon Raid?"  
This startled me, as rarely anyone connected me with that battle, and it showed visibly on my face, along with the fear it conjured in the memory of it.  
..." The Spy known as Eleke snuck up the snow bank, which was strangely illuminated with honey coloured light of the harvest moon, looking at the bodies of the dead around her, two of the Queens Riders groups had been ambushed. It was a massacre. In the middle of it all, stood two men with their troops, one dressed in rags and smeared with mud and other grit and another in finely woven cloth, wicked scars bedecking his face and hands, hollow gold eyes surveying the situation. Then they began to laugh. She crawled back out of range and began to cry."...  
Of course the two attackers had not anticipated that she would be there, and later report it to Sir Myles, who notified the Kings Own. The day was won for Tortall, but not for Eleke. It was her last mission, and from that day she vowed not to do one again. What great irony, Eleke thought.  
"Yeah..." she said.  
Eda, noticing the reluctance in Elekes' voice, went silent, but not before long she heard a gasp from the person in question.  
Elekes eyes widened, forgetting her memories. It was so big! Corus had certainly changed since she had last seen it! The turrets gracefully arched the Walls and The Palace, with banners fluttering in the wind like nervous colourful butterflies, dancing here and there in the wind. From where she sat on her mount on a large hill, she could see all of the beautiful city, which reached to the banks of the river Olorun, with all of it's inhabitants so tiny in the distance they could be mistaken for ants.  
Eleke allowed herself to be led into the city like a child, to busy soaking the surrounding of the city and all of its heavy and rich smells and noises to complain.  
"Fresh fish! We catch 'em you buy 'em!"  
"Ladies and Gentlemen, gather around for the best show in the world!"  
"Look at the fine quality of this cloth, madam!"  
The muddy streets were packed with little stalls and bustling people of many origins: Gallans, Tyrans, Carthakis; all walking with a gait of purpose.  
She was plunged out of her thoughts when the page Aidan coughed politely to indicate that the guard of the entrance gate was waiting to see her papers, and she handed them over without hesitation.  
  
Later that day:  
  
After I deposited my bags in one of the servants quarters, then reminded myself in disgust that they were now my quarters. I will get you back later for that, Myles, I thought as I walked out of the door and straight into Hakuin Seastone.  
"I was wondering...do you want me to show you around...This place is as big as a rat warren!" a faint flush crept up his cheeks, but I didn't notice it.  
"Hmm..." I said, considering it. "Maybe you can show me to the practice courts..."  
"I'd be my pleasure!" he said, interupting me.  
We walked in near silence till we reached the courts, only making the odd comment here or there. I looked all around me, noting details of everything, after all I was not on holiday! But in observation, there seemed to be a very strained atmosphere, as if a big tidal wave was going to come crashing down on everyone and everything, consuming it all and sapping it dry. Disconcerted, I kept walking on not realising that Hakuin had halted. Slam! I walked straight in to him. Drat! That was the second time today! What was in me?  
To my great relief, Hakuin didn't notice it, or at least pretended not to. I retreated into one of the corners and started to stretch. It had been a long time since I did those exercises but they all came back to me as I traced the fluid movements my body had done so many times before.  
I took my daggers out of their hiding places: from my knee-length boots, wrist straps (which enabled a quick release if the situation ever arose) and from the small of my back.  
A tap on my shoulder. "Do you know how to use those?" the rumble of The Horses' voice resounded through the room. And, quite suddenly, it went quiet at it's commanding tone.  
Who was she?  
Who's The Horse going to fight with?  
I elbowed him sharply in the ribs."My presence is meant to be secret, Horse!" I whispered heatedly. "What are you trying to do? Say, Look, Look! A spy right here!" ok, ok i'll admit I was being a bit...well...how do you put it nicely? Not-nice, I suppose. Well, that goes to show, I am not the best person after a long journey.  
"I said, do you know how to use those?" In a quieter voice, indicating to the glistening blades.  
"Why would I be carriying them if I didn't?" I said, considering him, as I swaggered over to a match square. I was pretty tall, but he had a couple of inches against me, plus he had the advantage of weight.  
"What weapon will you use?" said I.  
"Me!" and with no warning, he struck, his foot pulling up against his body and snapping out.  
I ducked out of range in the nick of time, retaliating with an uppercut movement at his chest with the first knife and in a cresent swing with the other aimed at his midsection, manging to slash his protective gear. He paused a moment, respect in his eyes, which proved to be bad timing as it was at that moment I made a lunge for it and swung my leg in a tripping movement. He was starting to go down, but he hads a couple of tricks up his sleeves too; I had no time to react as he tugged on my had, discarding the blade, and pulling me down to the ground with him.  
A hand came in to my vision. I reached up and grasped it firmly with my own.  
"Well, you do live up to your reputation." I let it go without comment. "I..."  
"Mistress Eleke!" The unstable voice of Aidan called. He headed towards us at a trot. "The King requires your presence."  
I glanced at Hakuin, exchanged a nod, and followed the youth out.  
  
  
  
A/N sorry about the cliffie, but It is late and i'm tired...poor, poor excuse, I know, but no amount of sugar will revive me. And as always REVIEWS: any suggestions for improvement?  



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